Captain BENN:

asked the Under Secretary of State for India whether he can furnish a list of Imperial civil officers appointed between the years 1896 and 1913 to permanent pensionable appointments who, being on medical leave at the date of the introduction of the proportionate pension scheme, 7th November, 1921, on account of disabilities incurred on military service, or who would still have been on leave on that date according to the ordinary Civil Service leave Regulations but for premature medical retirement for that reason, have been prematurely retired under the old scale?

One of the conditions precedent to an officer's eligibility for the proportionate pension scheme to which the hon. and gallant Member refers is that he is physically fit to continue to serve at the date when he is permitted to retire on proportionate pension. As there is no intention of waiving this condition, I am afraid I cannot undertake to furnish the statement asked for, the preparation of which would involve the expenditure of much time and labour.